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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

"He knows he’s lying, you know he’s lying and he knows you know he’s lying. But you get the sense he doesn’t care. Why should he? ... That’s not statesmanship. It is not even politics. It’s just contempt ..."

...................................................................................................................................................................COMMENTS: * Lets not forget that Mitch, said that the NRA would have to approve of any SC Nominee before he would let the Seate hold hearings on a nominee. Given his logic, that would mean when the Dems have control of the Senate, and if they went Bat$ht crazy also, they might say, will hold our hearings if say Planned Prenthood says it's OK. This clearly shows that Mitch works for the NRA and NOT the American people. This is Treason, and proves that he is on the take. * First he promised to obstruct the President and now he admits that the NRA controls the Senate. Let's not mentioon that he's so stupid he filibustered his own bill. How does he still have a job? * Wonder if Grover Norqueer and the Kock Brothers know that the NRA now runs the rethugiKKKan party ???* Isn't it about time for the good people of Kentucky to recall this lying SOB?* Well said, but it's nothing we haven't seen or realized before, since McConnell slithered in - courtesy the voters who stayed home in 2014! We, who hold in our hands the power of the vote, keep bringing it on ourselves, man; and then we find ourselves whining when scumbag NRA and Corporate puppets like McConnell blow disrespect in, as you wrote, both the President's face AND ours! Y'know, if we were just a tad more educated in civics, we'd recognize the McConnells out there for what they are long before they could reach office!* Since when the republicans cared about how "the people" felt? Unless the people are the NRA
...................................................................................................................................................................Sen. McConnell is a liar — and not a very good one, at that
By Leonard Pitts, Jr., March 22, 2016

A few words about the pious insincerity of Mitch McConnell.

As you are no doubt aware, McConnell, the Senate majority leader, announced on the very day that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died that he would refuse to hold hearings on any replacement nominated by President Obama. McConnell’s “reasoning,” if you want to grace it with that word, was that since the president has less than a year left in his term, the appointment should be made by whomever the American people choose as his successor.

Last week, after Obama fulfilled his constitutional duty by nominating respected federal judge Merrick Garland to the post, McConnell renewed his refusal. “The Biden rule,” he said, “reminds us that the decision the Senate announced weeks ago remains about a principle and not a person. It seems clear that President Obama made this nomination not with the intent of seeing the nominee confirmed, but in order to politicize it for purposes of the election.”

The American people, added McConnell, should have a say in this. “So let’s give them a voice. Let’s let the American people decide.”

There are four lies here, each more threadbare and cynical than the last:1. The Biden rule? There is no such thing. There is only an opinion Vice President Biden expressed 24 years ago as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, that if a vacancy opened on the top court during convention season — which is still several months off — the president should “consider” not nominating a replacement until after the election. It bears repeating: Biden never said the president should not nominate or the Senate should not vote; he only suggested waiting until “after the election” to do so.

2. It’s the president who’s politicizing this? In psychology, that’s known as “projecting.” Around the way, it’s known as the pot calling the kettle black.3, “A principle and not a person?” No, it’s about a person — the same person, the president — toward whom McConnell and his party have expressed such unremitting disrespect the last seven years.

4. The voice of the people? The people have already spoken — twice — in elections that were not close. For that matter, they are still speaking. A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll says 63 percent of us want the Senate to hold hearings and vote.

McConnell should just claim he’s too busy arranging his sock drawer. That would be more credible than the excuses he’s given.

The quality of a lie is a direct reflection of the respect the liar has for the person being lied to.

That will seem counter intuitive, but consider: You put effort into a lie, work to make it plausible, credible, believable, when you have regard for the recipient, when his good opinion matters or his discovery of the truth would be disastrous.

That being the case, what does it suggest when you put as little effort into a lie as McConnell has?

Indeed, while he has been roundly condemned for disrespecting the president, let’s spare some outrage for the way he is also disrespecting us. Not just in failing to do his job, but also in offering such a transparently dishonest rationale for it.

He knows he’s lying, you know he’s lying and he knows you know he’s lying. But you get the sense he doesn’t care. Why should he? Those who need to believe there’s a noble principle behind this obstructionism will be willingly gulled. As to the rest of us, so what?

That’s not statesmanship. It is not even politics. It’s just contempt — and not only for the president. If we cannot count on McConnell and his party to do the country’s business and behave in a manner befitting serious people in positions of responsibility, perhaps it’s not too much to ask that they at least spare us that.